Cecil the Diesel was built in January 1941 for the US Army by General Electric. He was used by a contractor to build the Ellwood Ordnance Plant in Ohio during WW 2. After the war, he was transferred to the US Army Transportation Corp.

Built in an era when steam locomotives were still being produced in large quantities, "Cecil" was used to make up trains in railroad yards and switch cars in and out of loading tracks. He has only 300 horsepower and cannot pull very many cars.

In early 1956, Cecil was transferred to the US Navy and was moved to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton. After many faithful years of service, he was retired in 1976 and moved to the Northwest Railway Museum.

"Cecil" often wears a removable set of eyes and mouth.

"Cecil" has just two powered axles and uses connecting rods much like a steam locomotive. The rods transfer driving force from a powered axle to an adjacent unpowered axle.

Museum Hours

Snoqualmie Depot Hours: 10am - 5pm, 7 days a week. No admission charge to visit the depot and grounds.

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. There is limited access during Day Out With Thomas and Santa Train events.